Adaptive radio receiver controller method and apparatus

Abstract

A portable radiotelephone (101) operating in a radio communication system (100), the portable radiotelephone including power consumption controller circuitry (200). The radiotelephone system (100) is designed such that the portable radiotelephone (101) needs to only intermittently receive paging information from a remote transceiver (103) during a control mode. The power consumption controller circuitry (200) utilizes a low cost, low power, low frequency oscillator (237) in conjunction with hardware and software for shutting down a portion of the radiotelephone (101) for a sleep period, when the radiotelephone (101) is not receiving information from the remote transceiver (103). The current sleep period is adapted depending upon the timing accuracy of the previous sleep period.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of controlling a radio receiver for use in a radio communication system, the radio communication system including a first radio receiver and a first remote transmitter, the first remote transmitter transmitting timing information and unique words, the radio receiver receiving unique words and including a first low frequency oscillator, a reference oscillator, and a user interface the method comprising the steps of: A) powering the radio receiver   B) receiving the timing information at the radio receiver;   C) calculating a count duration value responsive to the timing information;   D) programming a timing device with the count duration value;   E) shutting down a first portion of the radio receiver circuitry, including at least the reference oscillator;   F) waking up the first portion of the radio receiver circuitry in response to an indication from the timing device;   G) increasing the count duration value responsive to receiving a false unique word via the radio receiver circuitry;   H) repeating steps d through g until a first condition is met, the first condition selected from the group consisting of a first predetermined time is lapsed and a valid unique word is received;   I) decreasing the count duration value in response to the first predetermined time is elapsing;   J) repeating steps a through h in response to said step of decreasing;   K) calculating a new count duration value responsive to receiving a valid unique word; and   L) repeating steps d through j responsive to said step of calculating a new count duration value.   
     
     
       2. A method of controlling a radio receiver in accordance with claim 1 wherein step F further comprises the steps of: M) waking up a second portion of the radio receiver circuitry in response to an indication from the user interface, the second portion of the radio receiver circuitry a subset of the first portion;   N) processing the indication from the user interface;   0) comparing the count duration value with a current state of the timing device, resulting in a first decision; and   P) repeating step E or step F responsive to the first decision of step 0.   
     
     
       3. A radio for use in a radio communication system, the radio communication system including a first remote transmitter, the first remote transmitter transmitting timing information and unique words, the radio comprising: a radio receiver for receiving timing information and unique words from the remote transmitter, the radio receiver including a reference oscillator;   a timing device; and   a controller for performing the steps of:   calculating a count duration value responsive to the timing information, including increasing the count duration value responsive to receiving a false unique word,   programming the timing device with the count duration value,   shutting down a first portion of the radio receiver circuitry, the first portion including at least the reference oscillator,   waking up the first portion of the radio receiver circuitry in response to an indication from the timing device, and   calculating a new count duration value responsive to receiving a valid unique word.   
     
     
       4. The radio in accordance with claim 3 further comprising: a user interface for receiving an indication from a user; and the controller further performing the steps of:   waking up a second portion of the radio receiver circuitry in response to an indication from the user interface, the second portion of the radio receiver a subset of the first portion,   processing the indication from the user interface, and   comparing the count duration value with a current state of the timing device, resulting in a decision.